Chapter 9 Questions

Chapter 9

1. What do Ponyboy and the other greasers focus on as they get ready for the rumble?

2. What is Ponyboy struggling with in the beginning of this chapter (besides feeling sick)?

3. What makes Ponyboy feel "out of it"?

4. What's the difference between Ponyboy's gang and Tim Sheppard's gang, the Brumly boys?

5. According to Ponyboy, why don’t people ever think to blame the Socs?

6. Who is Paul Holden and what does Darry feel, besides hatred, when he comes face to face with him at the rumble?

7. What does Johnny say to Ponyboy right before he dies? What does that mean do you think?

Music Assignment - Due Tuesday

Music Analysis

Assignment for the weekend: Due Tuesday, May 1st. (You have "family support center" during English on Monday.)

Choose one of the following themes and find a modern day song that deals with that theme. Using the lyrics as your evidence, write a paragraph explaining how this song deals with the theme you've chosen. Bring in a copy of the lyrics and your written explanation. If you have it, bring in an audio recording.

Your explanation should be typed, spell-checked and proofread, and in it, you should refer directly to the lyrics. You should also do a little research on the songwriter and/or singer and/or band. How does this information affect your understanding of the song?
For example, we know that The Who was known for being "fueled by teenage rage" (Rock and Roll Hall of fame) and so their song "My Generation" is clearly about the gap and distance between teenagers and their parents. Sometimes that relationship between the band and the meaning of lyrics is not that clear, but at the very least, you need to provide some information about the band/songwriter/singer and when the song was released.

At the bottom of your page, please provide the names of the websites or other resources that you used. If you quote directly from the source, you must quote that in your explanation.

Themes: (choose ONE)
Hardship
Forbidden Love
Social Ostracism
Generation gaps

* Make your song is appropriate for class. I may ask you to share your song and explanation if we have time.

In summary, the requirements are:

1. A minimum of 200 words, typed, double-spaced, spellchecked, proofread analysis of a modern day song - using the lyrics as evidence and including some background on the performer or songwriter and the year the song was released.
2. A copy of the song lyrics
3. A list of websites or other sources that you used

Optional: an audio recording of the song

Review for Quiz #2 (chs 5-8)

1. Look back at the reading questions. They hit on some important parts of the chapters and they jog your memory about class discussions.

2. Be able to write about these themes:
Social Ostracism (the act of excluding someone from society by general consent; making someone an outcast)
Friendship and loyalty
Separation between parents and teenagers
Hardship
Forbidden Love
Limits

3. Get with a partner or a group and review together. Brainstorm possible quiz questions and answers. Compare and contrast is always a likely question.

4. Look at the essential questions posted on the previous blog. They should help jog your memory about class discussions.

5. Get a good night's sleep!

Essential Questions for The Outsiders

1. Is Hinton successful in breaking the gender barrier?

2. Is one gang better than another gang?

3. Is life in one gang better than in another gang?

4. Is it necessary to fit within a group of people? Why or why not?

5. What makes up someone's identity? How is identity determined or created?

6. How is this book relevant to us 40 years later?

7. What happens when there are no limits or boundaries?

Chapter 8 Questions

ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER OR PRINT OUT YOUR ANSWERS AND BRING THEM TO CLASS ON TUESDAY. DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS TO THE BLOG.

Chapter 8

1. Ponyboy says "We couldn’t get along without him. We needed Johnny as much as he needed the gang. And for the same reason." Two-bit says that he wishes it was anyone but Johnny: "We could get along with anyone but Johnny." Why is Johnny so integral to their lives?

2. What is the only reason that Darry couldn’t be a Soc?

3. In what way does Hinton foreshadow the future?

4. How are Bob and Dallas similar?

Chapter 8 Questions

Chapter 8

1. Ponyboy says "We couldn’t get along without him. We needed Johnny as much as he needed the gang. And for the same reason." Two-bit says that he wishes it was anyone but Johnny: "We could get along with anyone but Johnny." Why is Johnny so integral to their lives?

2. What is the only reason that Darry couldn’t be a Soc?

3. In what way does Hinton foreshadow the future?

4. How are Bob and Dallas similar?

Chapter 7 Questions and the Tool Metaphor

ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER OR PRINT OUT YOUR ANSWERS AND BRING THEM TO CLASS ON TUESDAY. YOU DO NOT NEED TO SUBMIT THE BLOG.

Chapter 7

1. According to Jerry, why does the story of the fire have "public appeal"?

2. In this chapter, Ponyboy says that "greasers don’t cry in front of strangers." What other rules are there for greasers? Look back through your book in earlier chapters to find at least two more.

3. "Maybe people are younger when they sleep." Who said this? Why might people seem younger when they're asleep?

4. What do Ponyboy and his brothers eat for breakfast? If you didn’t have parents around to make you eat healthfully what would you have for breakfast?

5. "Juvenile Delinquents Turn Heroes." What part of this headline does Two-bit disagree with? Why?

6. Why would Dally be mad about the article?

7. What might happen to Ponyboy, Sodapop and Darry as result of the fire?

8. What has Darry really never gotten over? What does that tell us about him?

9. What joke does Two-bit make about Kathy's brother? What figurative language device does he use?

10. Who is Randy Adderson? What does Ponyboy learn from him? What did Bob want but wasn’t ever given?

11. Ponyboy and Randy have two different ideas of what happens when "you get a little money"? Which one makes the most sense to you? Why?


TOOL METAPHOR

Choose two characters from The Outsiders, and for each character compare him or her to a tool. Bring in a picture of the tool (or the actual tool) and a written explanation of your comparison. (In total, you should have two pictures (or actual tools) and two paragraphs of explanation.)

Questions for chapters 5 and 6 of The Outsiders

ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER OR PRINT OUT YOUR ANSWERS AND BRING THEM TO CLASS ON TUESDAY. YOU DO NOT NEED TO SUBMIT THE BLOG.

CHAPTER 5

1. What importance does hair hold for Ponyboy and the other greasers? Why?

2. Is there any part of your physical appearance that you hold onto like Ponyboy holds onto his hair?

3. What does "gallant" mean?

4. What's the difference between Dally and the "heroes in the novels"?

5. What is "heater" slang for?

6. What information do we find out about Cherry at the end of the chapter?


CHAPTER 6

1. What’s the significance of "Next time you want a broad, pick up your own kind"? Are the socs and the greasers that different?

2. What hurts Johnny the most? Why isn’t it good to be sensitive if you're a greaser?

3. Who is the unofficial leader? Why?

4. What new side of Dally do we see? How does that affect our understanding of him?

5. Why do Ponyboy and Johnny run back into the burning church?

6. Why do you think they're not scared in the fire? What positive effect does being in the fire and trying to rescue the children have on Johnny?

7. How have people's perceptions of Dally, Johnny, and Ponyboy changed because of the fire?

8. Have you ever been in a situation or done something that has radically changed how some people see you? If so, what?

9. Who is Jerry Wood?

10. What realization does Ponyboy have about Darry?

Questions for chapter 4 of The Outsiders

ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS ON A SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER OR PRINT OUT YOUR ANSWERS AND BRING THEM TO CLASS ON MONDAY. YOU DO NOT NEED TO SUBMIT THE BLOG, BUT YOU DO NEED TO HAVE A COPY OF YOUR ANSWERS IN CLASS ON MONDAY.

CHAPTER 4

1. What do Johnny and Ponyboy hide from the Socs?

2. The Socs say something to Ponyboy and Johnny that hits Ponyboy harder than other insults had. What is the comment? Why does it affect him so strongly?

3. Johnny says, "I was hating them enough to lose my head." What figurative language device is being used here?

4. What major thing does Johnny do? Why does he do it?

5. Who do Ponyboy and Johnny go to for help? Why do they choose him?

6. Who is Buck?

7. Dally is described as having "savage defiance of the world." What does that mean?

8. According to Ponyboy, why can't Dally love anything or anyone? Given that, why do you think Dally helps Ponyboy and Johnny?

9. What's the only thing that Dally does honestly?

10. Ponyboy's daydream of living in the country seems for a moment to come true when he gets off the train. What do you daydream about? Is there a place that you like to escape to in your mind through a daydream?

11. The church gives Johnny a "premonition." What is a "premonition"?

12. Go to www.cougartown.com/slang-dict1.html. What does "tuff" mean? What does "weed" mean? What does "fuzz" mean? Choose two other slang terms to use in class on Monday.

Reading Questions for chs 2 & 3 of The Outsiders

Chapter 2

1. How does Ponyboy react when Dally uses bad language at the drive-in? What stereotype does Ponyboy break here?
2. What is Cherry surprised by at the drive-in?
3. What is the difference between a gang and a pack?
4. Describe Johnny's family life.
5. What stereotype does Cherry want to clear up?

Chapter 3

1. According to Cherry, what separates the Socs from the Greasers?
2. Why are Ponyboy and Cherry able to talk to each other so easily?
3. What does "aloof" mean?
4. What is the significance of "we saw the same sunset"?
5. How does the phrase "everything is relative" apply to this chapter?
6. Ponyboy lists different ways that the gang members cope with their lot in life - what are those ways?
7. Describe Ponyboy's daydream.
8. Why does Ponyboy run away from home?

The Outsiders - Chapter 1

1. Describe each of the characters and their relationships to one another.
2. If you were a movie director, who would you cast as these characters? Why?
3. What does it mean to be a Soc? a Greaser?
4. How does Ponyboy's relationship with Darry and differ from his relationship with Sodapop? Explain.
5. How is Dally different from the other characters?
6. Why do you think Darry treats Ponyboy the way he does?
7. What does Ponyboy mean on page 8 when he says, "I lie to myself all the time but I don't believe me"? Do you ever lie to yourself? Why?
8. What stereotypes are present in this story thus far?

Article Reaction and Film vs. Book Debate

1) Read the article, "Getting Past Our Myths and Stereotypes about Native Americans" (given to you by me today after class) and react to the reading in no less than FIVE (5) sentences.

2) Film vs. Book
Which do you prefer - a book or a film adaption? Why? Is a movie version ever better than a book version? Why? How about vice versa? Why? Give examples.

Reading Questions for "This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona"

1. Identify (underline) examples of repetition, humor, and stereotypes.

2. How are Victor and Thomas different?

3. Why does Thomas tell stories?

4. Why would a person tell stories if no one listened?

5. What is the "fair trade" that Victor and Thomas make at the end of the story?

6. Why do the other boys hate Thomas? (p. 70-71)

7. Describe the relationship between Victor and Thomas.

8. What themes do you see in this story? Generate a list.

9. What is the role of flashbacking in this story?

10. Find and list three facts about the author, Sherman Alexie.